2.5 to 3 ft ht standard block wall

cprao

On my backayrd, one side (leftside), I have a standard blockwall. It is not retaining wall since it is not holding any soil. As you see in the picture, on the other side, there is no wall. but the ground is sloppy. The soil is held up quite nicely since the roots of trees are holding it.

http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/v...l/P7240392.jpg
http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/v...l/P7240393.jpg
http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/v...l/P7240394.jpg

Now I want to raise similar wall on the otherside (right). I dug a trench of 8 inch deep. The reason for this wall is to level the soil .. not exactly 100% but little better than today.. so that I can put couple of fruit trees over there.

So the wall, I am planning to build will have to act as a retaining wall to some extent.

I want to use the following stones (not exactly gravel) to pour it in the strech alnog with the specmix.. so that I can put a concrete slab at the bottom. so it would be around 8 inch tickness of concrete.

http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/v...l/P7240395.jpg

Then planning to use the following blocks, upto 2.5 ft height, (4 blocks + Cap) from the ground..
http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/v...l/P7250406.jpg
http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/v...l/P7250407.jpg


Does this process works ? ideas please ?

CapeCod153

I don’t have a lot of time but from what I could see in your pictures here is my opinion.

1) the rocks are too big to mix in a 8” deep footer. You will create numerous week spots in the footing where the concrete is too thin due to the rocks. Plus, you won’t be able to add any reinforcement to the footing due to the rocks. You are better off just using a concrete mix alone and adding WWM (welded wire mesh) or better yet, rebar to reinforce the footing.
2) You should pour the concrete footer on top of 6”-9” of compacted gravel and it is best if you can provide a drain from the gravel pit.
3) I can’t tell how much ground the new wall will be retaining but you should put L shaped #4 rebar vertically in your footer. The bottom of the L goes in the footing and the vertical part goes in the cores of your block wall. You then fill those cores with mortar. You should do this every 3-4’ depending on how much ground you are retaining.
4) You should back the block wall with 12” of compacted, crushed gravel with filter fabric between the gravel and soil. Then add weep 1” holes through the wall about 6” above the finished grade on the non-retaining face of the wall. These can be spaced every 8’ or so depending on the length of wall. Usually people use 1” pvc pipe then mortar it in. People don’t worry about the finished look because most people put an aesthetic veneer over the block (paint, stucco, stoned, etc.).

That is how you SHOULD do a retaining wall. If you are retaining little to no soil then you can get away with less. If you do less because of cost then be prepared for a wall that will bow, crack and/or heave. Hope this helps – good luck.

cprao

Ok. Got you though didn't understand what everything you said. But one thing is clear that .. what I am doing is not right.

With respect to retaining the soil, it will be retaining little soil.

Would you mind explain again step by step, with some pics, if available ?
I am totally new to this one. I want to do myself because i can't hire due to cost of labor. But I can put the money for material to do correctly.

I will go step by step.

One the first step:


So you mean to say
1) - just pour the concrete (specmix) into the 8" trench ?
or
buy gravel(homedepot) and mix it properly and pour it ? if buy gravel, what should be ratio between gravel and spec mix ?
2) where should be placing WWM ? or if I go by rebar, what size ? where should I place it..

Please educate me.

CapeCod153

Read this article and then let me know if you have any questions.

http://www.billb.name/diy/retainingWall.asp

Keep in mind that unless a footing is below the frost line, the footing will move. Since you aren't retaining much soil, what your footing will do is hopefully move the entire wall at the same time. If you were retaining a lot of soil then you would go with a "T" footing but that is overkill with a wall that is less than 24" high and not retaining less than half it's height in soil (in my opinion).

cprao

Ok. Thank you for the link. Will go through it.

cprao

Thank you for the link. But in comparision to what I am doing here, this is over kill for my project.

However, I do get some ideas from here. Thank you for your help.